MLB Offseason – Verlander cashes in huge with Detroit

Even though the 2010 Super Bowl odds are the hot play of the week, it still pays to watch out for what’s happening in the baseball offseason. This week, Justin Verlander re-ups with Detroit, while the Chicago Cubs get their bullpen situation sorted out.

Verlander re-signed with the Detroit Tigers in a five-year, $80 million deal, and this was a move the Tigers needed to make after trading Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson away. After a poor 2008 in which some thought Verlander had lost it, the right-hander came back with a vengenance, posting a 19-9 record in 35 starts with a 3.45 ERA and three complete games. He led the American League in strikeouts while pitching a career-high 240 innings, which also paced the American League. In Verlander, the Tigers have a bonafide ace and a possible 20-win guy who will be among the favorites to win the Cy Young award, and he also seems to be smart enough not to blow this massive contract in a super casino. With second-year pitcher Rick Porcello coming on, the Tigers should have a great one-two punch at the top of the rotation.

Kevin Gregg wasn’t all that successful with the Chicago Cubs, finishing 5-6 with a 4.72 ERA and 23 saves, and he left the Windy City to head north to Toronto, where he signed a deal for one year and $2.75 million. Gregg will be trying to take over the closer’s role in Toronto, a spot that was filled by platoon since B.J. Ryan was let go by the team.  Scott Downs and Jason Frasor are the main competition for Gregg, who is used to having to fight for his role. Gregg battled with Carlos Marmol last year, and Marmol came away with the job, going 2-4 with 15 saves and a 3.41 ERA.  Those don’t look like good numbers, but Marmol was a perfect 11-of-11 in save opportunities after he was given the closer’s job. The Cubs rewarded him with a one-year deal at $2.125 million, and the 27-year-old is heading into the prime of his career, while Gregg is 31 years old and at the tail end of his. The Cubs struggled badly in the bullpen until Marmol came along and took the job away from Gregg, which can’t be encouraging news for Toronto, but he has to be an improvement over a bullpen that couldn’t hold a lead to save its life in 2009.  Players may look to Marmol in their fantasy baseball guide this year.